Women’s boxing took centre stage at OktoberFIST on Oct. 3 as University of Waterloo student Valentine Wilson headlined a night of competition at SydFit Health Centre, a boxing arena in downtown Kitchener.
The event was hosted by Destiny Boxing, a competitive program led by head coach Syd Vanderpool that works with athletes from the Tri-Cities area as well as elite national- and Olympic-level athletes from Southwestern Ontario.
The event featured 11 bouts involving fighters from boxing clubs across the region, including Blackeye Boxing, Kingsway Boxing, Ring London and Royal City Boxing.
The evening also included a ceremonial keg tapping, adding an Oktoberfest tradition to the event.
Nine of the 11 bouts featured male fighters, while Wilson, a 24-year-old recreation therapy student at the University of Waterloo and member of Destiny Boxing, faced Ava Fenton of Blackeye Boxing in the main event.
Wilson said she was excited to headline the event after participating in the previous year’s edition.
“I’m super happy to be here. Last year I was a part of the exhibition match, and to be asked to compete in the main event was an incredible experience,” Wilson said during the post-event press conference.
The main event drew attention to women’s boxing in front of a crowd of more than 400 spectators. The event was also streamed online for fans unable to attend in person.
Each bout was scheduled for three rounds, with matchups organized by weight class.
For a first-time spectator at a live boxing event, the crowd’s enthusiasm was one of the night’s most memorable aspects. Even after hours of competition, spectators continued to cheer on the fighters, including during the women’s main event, which many in the stands had been looking forward to.
With nine men’s bouts on the card, Wilson’s position as the headliner gave women’s boxing a prominent place in the evening’s lineup, making it a focal point of the event.
Beyond the competition, OktoberFIST brought together local boxing clubs and athletes for a night celebrating the sport and its regional community.
After being named the top female boxer of the night, Wilson continues to prepare for provincials, which are taking place at the end of October.
Wilson’s main-event appearance offered a chance to showcase women’s boxing to a large audience and put female athletes in the spotlight. The main event proved to be the fight of the evening as well, with Wilson defeating Fenton in just two rounds.
Contributed photo by Kate Forrest
